American Political Culture Sanford-Green text chapter 4

Political Culture defined n The set of basic values and beliefs about a country or government that are shared by “most citizens” (not all, but most – consensus) n It is the background against which the political system of that country functions.

Values central to the political culture of the US n Majority rule that guarantees minority rights n Equality of everyone before the law n Protection of private property n Civil liberties will be guaranteed by the government n Governmental decisions arrived at through compromise and consensus n The law, and the will of the people, can work to limit government

Political Socialization: passing on the culture n Home and school training n Bonding with special interest groups (Girl Scouts, unions, churches, clubs, etc.) n The Media n Public figures n News events with positive or negative repercussions

Public Opinion n The shared attitudes of a country n Researched through survey n Measures consensus (central agreement) and strength of opinion

Measuring Public Opinion n Most reliable method: a scientific poll: n Includes a large section of the public n Includes a diverse section of the public n Polls people in a timely fashion n Polls people on a topic relevant (salient) to them

Flawed measures of public opinion n “straw polls” -- informal questioning in uncontrolled circumstances n Internet polls relying on voluntary response n Calls to radio talk shows that appeal to a specific audience n Polls structured with leading questions or forced options n Polls taken in a group that has no knowledge of the issue

Political Ideology n Ideology: a consistent, unwavering set of beliefs n Political ideology: a set of beliefs about politics or public policy that creates a person’s “mental lens” through which issues and government actions are viewed. n Main areas of differences in political ideologies: economic policy, social programs, defense policy

The modern political continuum n Generally described as ranging from “left” (liberal) to “right” (conservative) n Most people scatter along the continuum, with a relatively small group of hard-core consistent radicals at either end n Most people will scatter conservative on some issues, moderate on others, liberal on others

The Political Continuum (“left” to “right” ) n Use of the words “left” and “right” to define the spectrum dates from 15 th century n Two factions in English Parliament: pro a “liberal” government (constitution binds king, more rights to middle class) and pro a “conservative” government (traditional role for king) n Factions so violently opposed, were required to sit on opposite sides of the hall: liberals on left, conservatives on right

The Political Spectrum n (far left) Radical: n favors rapid change in the social, economic, or political order; may favor violence or revolution as a means of accomplishing this.

The Political Spectrum n Examples of the far left : n the Communist Party, the radical student movements of the 1960s

The Political Spectrum n (left) Liberal : n supports active government to promote individuals’ welfare and rights; advocates change through legal political means

The Political Spectrum n Examples of the left: n The Green Party, The American Workers’ Party, more traditional “New Deal” elements of the Democrat Party

The Political Spectrum n (centrist) Moderate: n may include both liberal and conservative ideologies on various topics; are generally seen as tolerant of others’ views.

The Political Spectrum n Examples of American Moderates: n Many members of both Democrat and Republican parties (scattered along the center of the continuum)

The Political Spectrum n (right) Conservative : n supports limited government role in individuals’ daily lives; supports traditional values and lifestyles; advocates strong government role in defense and crime prevention.

The Political Spectrum n Examples of American Conservatives : n The Libertarian Party; the neo- Conservative wing of the Republican Party, the “Christian Right”

The Political Spectrum n (far right) Reactionary : n supports a return to a previous state of affairs from earlier times; critical of most social change; may be willing to use violence or force to achieve goals.

The Political Spectrum n Examples of American Reactionaries : n The KKK, The White People’s Party, various American militia groups (The Minutemen, etc.)

The Political Spectrum n These opposing views often described as “Guns vs. Butter” n Which side would be the “guns” side? n Which side would be the “butter” side?